Matthew 5:10-11 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
This week, Michael writes that the beatitudes are the pathway to God’s heart. These beautiful attitudes begin with blessed are the poor in spirit. When we realize our poverty of spirit, God can fill us with his Spirit. Blessed are those who mourn over their sin nature for they will be comforted with the comfort of God’s Spirit. Those who are hungry and thirst after righteousness shall be filled ... for Jesus said, I am the fountain of living water and I am the bread of life. Blessed are the meek for their heart is prepared to receive the Word of God. Blessed are the merciful ... for loving kindness and tender mercy is the nature of God Himself. Blessed are the pure in heart ... those whom God has purified through the trials and tribulations to reveal His true character reflected in us. Then blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. They have accepted Jesus Christ, the prince of peace, and have been given the ministry of reconciliation, having been committed the Word of reconciliation. Peace is the result of reconciliation through Jesus Christ, for there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Reconciliation connects our heart with God’s heart.
The final beatitude is blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is their reward in Heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you. Persecution results from the sinful darkness of the fallen world. The darkness hates the godly light of truth - Jesus Christ. According to John 1:9-12, the light came into the world through Jesus Christ and the world rejected the light. However, those who accept that Jesus is Lord reflect the light of Christ. Mark 5:16says, Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven.
In the early Christian church, the Jews ostracized the followers of “the way” - Jesus Christ. Christ followers were cast out of the temple and the synagogue. They were separated from their families and former friends. In Philippians 1, Paul said that in having received the gift of Holy Spirit, followers of Christ would suffer tribulation. You cannot love the things of this world so much that you compromise your love for God, His Word and His righteousness. When we love God above all and give up the rights to ourselves, then we shall know the freedom we have in Christ. Jesus said, if you continue in my word, ye shall be my disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. – John 8:31.
The issue for born-again Believers is to stand as a disciplined follower of Jesus Christ. Then when the world turns its back on the truth of the Word of God, we will stand by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. When the world persecutes us and rails slanderous accusations against the truth, we can rest in the assurance that God will deliver us from evil ... either in this life or the next. They have already been sanctified and delivered from death unto life eternal.
In the First Century, Nero burned down the city of Rome to rebuild it as a monument to his own ego and ultimate authority. When the people were in an uproar for the burning of Rome, Nero blamed it on the Christians. He turned their hearts against the followers of Christ and tortured them. Then he set their bodies on fire to light the avenues leading into Rome.
The history of the Church has been paved with the blood of the martyrs. They praised God singing on their way to be tortured and killed in the name of their Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless of evil men’s attempts to stamp out Christianity, God keeps watch over his people who stand as witnesses to the fulfillment of his promises. When Christians are persecuted for standing for truth, men will see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. God will open the eyes of those he’s called so that they can witness the truth for which his Christians stand... As Paul said, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
When we stand as citizens of Heaven for the gospel of God’s grace then our Heavenly Father will honor our stand for truth and righteousness. The godless doctrines of communism in the guise of liberal social democracy are opposed to the godly truth upon which our country was founded as one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and Justice for all.
Let's continue Michael's message on this blessed Beattitude in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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